• Marketing focus on combination of gift production and high content values, delivering a curated read to genre enthusiasts. • Major interest pushed through Instagram, with Youtube reviewers and influences. In the West we tend to think of witches in terms of the witch trials, when fear, ignorance and religious fervour brought the poor to heel, and fostered suspicion of those who dared to be different, or knowledgeable, or independent of mind. Witches and wizards are often associated with pre-Christian societies, Celtic in particular, (and therefore popular in tales of fantasy), but the nature of their wisdom can be found in so many fascinating cultures across the world. Ancient societies, particularly where natural religions with many gods abound, often highlight the power of an elder, or a seer, a healer or a wise friend. Tales of wizards and witches reach across traditions as folk try to explain natural phenomena and engage with the world around them. Those who understood the properties of healing in plants, or could make a prediction of weather events to rescue crops, became worshipped as elders, as keepers of knowledge. In tribal African societies, Polynesian cultures and East Asian traditions there are tales of those with great knowledge who are often described as witches or wizards. The Baba Yaga of Eastern Europe, Bokwewa, the humpback magician of the Chippewa, Merlin and Morgana la Faye of Arthurian Legend and the fox witches of Japan are but a few of the many examples. Some work for good, others with ill-intent, but all become the focus of folkloric legend, collected here in this new book of myths and tales.

Curated new Myths and Tales. Lively, stark and formidable, the imagery of Norse mythology storms through this classic collection. The fierce glory of Odin, Frey, Loki and their fellow gods of Asgard are featured here with all the great adventures, from Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life, to the endings of Ragnarok. And from the fabled Bifrost to the forging of Thor’s hammer, each Viking legend is riven with a vitality that speaks to us still. The latest title in Flame Tree's beautiful, comprehensive series of Gothic Fantasy titles, concentrates on the ancient, epic origins of modern fantasy.

A spellbinding collection of wizardry! For centuries, people have been mesmerized by the spectacular tales of wizards. In this book, you will uncover the mystery behind these sorcerers with folklore, mythology, and poetry from every tradition in the world. From the legendary Telchines, who were entrusted with the upbringing of Olympian gods to the great, wise Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the dazzling stories surrounding these magicians are sure to captivate anyone who has ever dreamed of mastering the arcane arts of wizardry. Whether you're interested in exploring the rich history behind these enchanting figures or want to learn more about their magical abilities, you will gain a better understanding of their impact on civilizations as you accompany these powerful conjurors on their spellbinding journeys. Complete with detailed illustrations, this book reveals the incredible power and age-old wisdom of some of the most extraordinary wizards to ever exist.

Following the great success of our Gothic Fantasy deluxe edition short story compilations, including Agents & Spies, Murder Mayhem and Lost Worlds, this latest in the series is packed with armchair detectives, murders in the vicarage, family secrets unravelling in gossipy ears, and the ingredients of a genteel bloodbath in an otherwise delightful village. Contains a fabulous mix of classic and brand new writing, with contemporary authors from the US, Canada, and the UK. New, contemporary and notable writers featured are: Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Joshua Boyce, Sarah Holly Bryant, Jeffrey B. Burton, C.B. Channell, Gregory Von Dare, Amanda C. Davis, Michael Martin Garrett, Philip Brian Hall, E.E. King, Tom Mead, Trixie Nisbet, Annette Siketa , B. David Spicer, Nancy Sweetland, Louise Taylor, and Elise Warner. These appear alongside classic stories by authors such as Arthur Conan Doyle, R. Austin Freeman, Arthur Morrison, Baroness Orczy, Catherine Louisa Pirkis and G.K. Chesterton.

From the rift valley come stories of gods, tricksters, cattle and ogres from the many peoples of East Africa. Traditional stories bring a deeper understanding of the movement of peoples across East Africa. Common roots and differences between ancient peoples create a lively portrait with their fragile, powerful gods. The modern nations of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and more inherit the folk and mythic tales of the rift valley region. Here you'll find stories of ogres and tricksters, riddles and poems, figures such as the first man (Gikuyu) and woman (Mumbi), and great heroes of history such as Liongo. This new collection is created for the modern reader. FLAME TREE 451: From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.

Myths and legendary tales from around the world are packed with gigantic rivalries; gods, monsters and giants compete for supremacy over the land, the creatures within and the universe beyond. Zeus clashes with the all-powerful Typhon, Odin is destined to face the great wolf Fenrir during Ragnarok. And yet monsters such as the Minotaur, and giants of all kinds, dragons even, are monsters only to those too fearful to understand them, while others such as the Sirens, or the weird sisters, are malevolent without remorse. Such mythical gods and their foes, make great adventures for the modern reader tracing the roots of The Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and The Witcher, where good and evil are morphed into real avatars and creatures of vivid imagination. In these pages you'll find the gods of the heavens and mountains, and the spirits and demons of the deep sea, the dark woods and the burning sands. From the gods of Babylon and Ancient Egypt to the Norse Aesir, from the pantheon of mighty Greek deities to the gods of the earth and the sky in Pacific legends, most of the great traditions are featured here, with monsters galore: Anansi the trickster spider, the chaos serpent Apep, the Wendigo (or Windegoo spirits), the Greek Sphinx, the drought demon dragon Vritra and the Chimera to name a few. The Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.

Mythological beasts and creatures come in every shape and size, sometimes good, sometimes evil, but often indifferent to the needs of humankind. A beautiful new collection of tales from many different traditions: Norse to Celtic, Greek to Indian, Japanese to Egyptian. With their weird combination of animal limbs, or distorted visions of human perception, beasts and creatures can be found in all myths and legends of the world, often used to demonstrate moral or fabulistic stories, and explain extreme natural phenomena. An ideal companion to Gods & Monsters Myths & Tales, this new collection includes more of the most famous and recognizable beasts, with some insight too into the rare and the little known: the Simurgh – the gigantic mythical bird of Persian mythology and literature – mingles with the monstrous Great Head of Iroquois folklore; the Kraken of originally Scandinvavian legend can be found alongside North America's Bigfoot, or Sasquatch if you prefer. Of course, from the Greek and Celtic mythologies come the Phoenix, Scylla and Charybdis, the Unicorn, Satyrs and Fauns, Centaurs and Minotaurs, the Basilisk and the Griffin. And let's not forget the goblins of the Norse, the ogreish monsters of Japanese mythology, the Oni, and the nymphs, fairies and sprites that appear in many different mythological traditions. This truly is a wonderful collection of tales. The Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.